Looking back at the 2026 Lancaster Classic, everyone is going to remember that monster snowstorm. It ripped through the middle of the country and dumped over 20 inches of snow on states that honestly didn’t know how to handle it, making the trek to (and mostly from) Pennsylvania a nightmare for a lot of people.
The storm was originally supposed to hit Sunday during the finals, but by Day 1, the Lancaster crew saw the writing on the wall. They made the tough call to compress the whole tournament into a Thursday–Saturday window. Because that snow was coming in hot, we saw over 500 archers have to back out at the last minute. It was a tough break, but the right call.
Even with the chaos, this is still the biggest indoor shoot on the East Coast. The Easton Youth & Collegiate Tournament was in the same boat with the weather, but those kids and college shooters handled the pressure like pros.
Catching the Action
Lancaster’s media team and the folks at Competition Archery Media were everywhere, grinding to make sure the event was covered from every angle. Because the schedule got shifted around so fast, they couldn’t live-stream every single finals class, but they did record everything. If you missed a round, you can find it all on their YouTube channel.
The Bowhunting.com Contingency & Results
For us at Bowhunting.com, the highlight is always our Bowhunter Division contingency program. We put up $750 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $250 for 3rd. The only rule? You’ve gotta be rocking Bowhunt or Die gear when you’re shooting in the finals. It’s always great meeting everyone who swings by the booth, but it’s even better seeing you guys on the podium cashing checks.
Speaking of the podium… the Todd vs. Justin rivalry is still alive and well. Todd managed to pull off the “three-peat,” taking the win for the third year in a row! He shot a personal best of 586, while Justin… well, Justin had his worst showing yet at the Classic with a 515. Todd’s already talking about a 600 for next year, while Justin is just looking to get back in the win column!
This Week’s Podcast: Nate Harper
To wrap things up, we had a killer guest on the podcast this week: Nate Harper. Nate took 1st place in the Bowhunter division this year, and the dude is a absolute machine on the big stage. He won Vegas in 2024, set his sights on Lancaster, and checked that off the list, too.
Give the episode a listen to hear Nate break down how he stays calm when the pressure is on.
